Picture-frame.



'PATENTED Nov. 29, 1994.

. S. GARDNER.

PICTURE FRAME.

APPLIGATION FILED JULY e, 1904.

N() MODEL.

UNITED STATES Patented November 29, 1904.

PATENT EEicE.

PICTURE-FRAME.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 776,316, dated November 29, 1904.

Application iiled July 6, 1904. Serial No. 215,511. (No model.)

To ntl/Z 11171/0711, 7125 may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL S. GARDNER, a citizen of the United States oi' America, residing at Pittsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Picture-Frames, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying' drawings.

This invention has relation to pictures, and more particularly to mats that are employed in framing pictures.

rIhe invention has for its object to provide a mat for pictures that will be highly attractive in design and artistic in character.

Another object of my invention is to construct a mat for picture-frames that will be extremely simple in construction and comparatively inexpensive to manufacture.

In carrying my invention into eiect I have provided a mat for pictures which will be attractive to the eye, and I have so constructed the same that it will enhance the artistic quality of the picture. It is a well-known fact that some pictures which are very good subjects are lacking in vigor and are weak and hat, and in providing my improved mat IV have constructed the same upon such lines that a contrast will be established between the picture and a mat whereby the beauty and highly-attractive design oi' the same will enhance the lacking features of the picture.

Briefly described, my improvement in pictures resides in providing a mat which will be formed upon the glass of the frame, which is employed to protect a picture mounted in the frame. The mat is formed of a pearlaceous material, such as mother-of-pearl, and it is cemented or otherwise secured to the glass in a frame, a iilling having an ii'idescent effect being interposed between such pieces of pearl, whereby the same will be exposed through the glass and present a neat and attractive appearance. A suitable opening is allowed in the mat to accommodate a picture. The above construction will be hereinafter more fully described.

Referring' to the drawings, Figure l is a iront elevation of a picture-frame, mat, and picture mounted therein, said parts being constructed in accordance with my invention; and Fig'. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the same.

Throughout both views of the drawings like numerals oi reference indicate cori'esponding parts, and the reference-numeral I indicates a frame, which may be made of wood or sheet metal, the frame being artistically ornamental as may be desired. Upon the corners of the frameI provide ornamentations 2 2, which are employed to secure a plate of glass 3- upon the frame, these ornamentations overlapping the corners of the glass and retainingthe same thereon. Upon the inner side or rear face ot' the glass I construct my improved mat, this mat consisting of a plurality oi' pieces oi mother-of-pearl or the like, as indicated by the reference-numerals 4 4, and to secure said pieces of motherof-pearl upon the glass I employ a suitable cement. As the pieces of mother-of-pearl are irregular in shape, it is impossible at alltimes to place the pieces of pearl together so as to make a tight-fitting joint, and to overcome the bad eiect that would be produced by said joints I employ a Iiller in connection with the cement to secure the pieces of pearl to the glass. Any suitable liquid or transparent cement may be used, and in connection with the cement aiiller composed of gravel or sand and finely-powdered mica is used, this composition being' highly colored with various transparent colors, which will give an iridescent effect to the liller. By employing a filler composed of the above ingredients I have as near as possible imitated the general appearance of pearl, the iiller displaying a brilliancy of changeable colors similar to the natural pearl, and when this iiller has been placed between the pieces of mother-of-pearl as designated bythe reference-numeral 5 the entire mat will pi'esent an optical illusion of being formed ot one solid piece of pearl.

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated the picture oi' a woman as being mounted in a frame, and this picture may be cemented to thc glass or may be placed in the frame in the ordinary manner, and Where it is desired to have the picture appear in an oval such an opening in the mat is maintained when IOO the mat is constructed, and in Fig. 2 of the drawings I have illustrated the mat as being backed or supported by a suitable material, such as cardboard. The cardboard, as designated by the reference-numeral 6, is cut away to permit the insertion of the picture 7 within the frame, the cut-away portion 8 being retained and bound with tape 9 or other suitable material, the one side of the cut-away portion 8 being hinged by securing the tape to one side of the backing or support 6.

It will be observed that in the style of frame and picture illustrated in the accompanying' drawings the glass plate is secured upon the frame; yet I do not wish it to be understood that this is the preferable form of construction, as a frame of the ordinary character may be employed wherein the glass is mounted within the frame. It' will also be noted that any desired shape of mat may be constructed upon the same principle as that set forth and an opening of any contour provided for the picture when constructing the mat. I do not care to limit myself to the use of glass alone, but may employ celluloid or any suitable transparent substance which will support the mother-of-pearl, and while I K"have herein described sand or gravel and mica as being employed to form a lling, colored gravel or sand with or without mica may be used and applied to the glass by coating the same with gelatin to which a desirable pigment has been added and upon the gelatin before it solidifies, these ingredients producing an iridescent metalliclike appearance or crystallization.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, isn

1. As a new article of manufacture, a mat for pictures and the like consisting of pieces of mother-of-pearl placed adjacent to each other, a filling having an iridescent effect interposed between said pieces of pearl.

2. In combination with a picture-frame, a plate of glass carried by said frame, a plurality of pieces of mother-of-pearl secured to said glass, a filling having an iridescent eifect interposed between the adjoining edges of said pearl, substantially as described.

3. In combination with a picture-frame, and aplate of glass carried by said frame, of pieces of pearl mounted upon said glass, a filling having an iridescent effect interposed between the adjoining edges of said pearl, and means for sustaining said pearl upon the glass.

4. In combination with apicture-frame having a glass mounted thereon, a plurality of pieces of mother-of-pearl mounted upon said glass, a filling' composed of an iridescent material interposed between said pieces of pearl, and means for sustaining said pearl and filling upon the glass, substantially as described.

5. As a new article of manufacture, a mat for pictures consisting of a plurality of pieces of pearl, a filling composed of iridescent material interposed between said pieces of pearl, and means for sustaining said pearl within a picture-frame.

6. As a new article of manufacture, a mat for picture-frames and the like consisting of pieces of mother-of-pearl, a filling composed of sand, mica and a pigment, said filling adapted to be interposed between the edges of said pearl, and means for sustaining' said mat within apicture-frame, substantially as described.

7. As a new article of manufacture, a mat for picture-frames and pictures, said mat consisting of a plurality of pieces of pearl mounted upon a glass plate, a filling composed of sand, mica and a pigment, said filling being interposed between adjoining edges of said pearl, means for securing said pearl and tilling to a plate of glass, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof Iafix my signaturein the presence of two witnesses.

SAMUEL S. GARDNER.

IVitnesses:

H. C. EVERT, K. H. BUTLER. 

